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Anthropometric growth study of auricle of healthy preterm and term newborns
M Tayyar Kalcioglu1, Yuksel Toplu, Orhan Ozturan
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Inonu University, School of Medicine, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, 44069 Malatya, Turkey. mtkalcioglu@hotmail.com
Insights
Auricular anthropometric measurements in healthy newborns from 28 to 42 weeks gestation were established. This study provides crucial data for diagnosing birth defects in premature and newborn infants.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Pediatric anthropometry
- Clinical genetics
Background:
- Auricular abnormalities are key indicators for diagnosing birth defects in premature and newborn infants.
- Existing auricular anthropometric data for healthy newborns, stratified by gestational age, are limited.
- Understanding normal auricular development is crucial for identifying congenital malformations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the anthropometric growth and dynamics of the auricle in healthy newborns.
- To establish reference data for auricular measurements from 28 to 42 weeks of gestation.
- To provide a basis for diagnosing auricular deformities in neonates.
Main Methods:
- 600 newborns were evaluated, grouped by sex and gestational age (28-42 weeks).
- Six surface ear dimensions were measured on the right ear.
- The incidence of prominent ear deformity and lobule attachment was recorded.
Main Results:
- Established auricular anthropometric measurements for healthy newborns across different gestational ages.
- No significant statistical differences in auricular length were observed between male and female infants.
- The incidence of prominent ear deformity was 8.16%, and attached lobule was 27.4%.
Conclusions:
- Normal anthropometric features of the auricle in newborns, based on gestational age, are vital for diagnosing congenital malformations.
- This study provides regional normative data for auricular measurements in preterm and term newborns.
- Further multi-regional studies are recommended to establish comprehensive normative data in the literature.
Objective:
Auricular abnormalities are important for early diagnosis of the birth defects in the prematures and newborns. Auricular antropometric studies in healthy premature and mature population depend on their gestational age are limited and insufficient. The aims of this study were to reveal antropometric growth and dynamics of the auricle in the healthy newborns from the 28th to the 42nd gestation weeks.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 600 newborns were evaluated in 40 groups. Each group comprising 20 preterm or term newborns according to their sexes and gestational weeks. Six surface dimensions were performed directly from the right ears of the subjects: the length from the superaurale to subaurale, the width from the tragus to helix, the width from the tragus to antihelix, the conchal depth, the distance from the helix to mastoid at superaural level and the distance from the helix to mastoid at tragal level. The frequency of the prominent ear deformity and lobule attachment were also noted.
Results:
The results of auricular antropometric measurements of healthy preterm and term newborns in different gestational weeks were to determined. No statistical differences of auricular length were found between male and female infants. The incidence of the prominent ear deformity and attached lobule was 8.16 and 27.4%, respectively.
Conclusions:
Normal anthropometric features for healthy newborns on the basis of gestational age are very important for the diagnosis of a variety of congenital malformations or syndromes. In this study, antropometric measurements of the auricle in the healthy preterm and term newborns on the basis of gestational age in our region were noted. Similar anthropometric studies in the preterm and term newborns at different geographic and various socioeconomic areas should be performed to constitute normative data in the literature.
